As a land-grant institution, the University of Arizona is committed to providing quality education, research and outreach to the citizens of the State of Arizona. The UA Gem & Mineral Museum, belonging to the Department of Geosciences, reflects the mission of the university. The University of Arizona Gem and Mineral Museum is committed to supporting the study of minerals and advancing the knowledge of mineralogy through the quality and scope of its mineral collection and exhibits, by fostering an appreciation for the mineralogical wonders of Earth and our solar system, while serving the needs of K-20 students, faculty and the general public.Eric Fritz ~ Biography
Eric Fritz, FGA, DGA is the manager of The University of Arizona Gem and Mineral Museum. The current role is to develop and transition the existing museum to the historic Pima County Courthouse facility. Eric will interface with the University, Pima County and the architects to build a world class facility for the collections as well as a research arm for mineralogy and gemology research .
Prior to this role, he was Manager-North America for Gem-A, the Gemmological Association of Great Britain, holding both colored stone and diamond designations. Lab instruction, seminars and workshops are provided to students and the gem and jewelry industry. Eric has a degree in Zoology from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. The Zoology degree leads to a passion for pearls and other organic gem materials, which are Eric’s specialty. As a youth, He collected shells on the seashore and noticed at an early age the ability for pearl formation as a free pearl or as a protrusion of the shell, what we now refer to as Mabe or blister pearls. An obsessive shell collection now resides beside the minerals and gemstones.
